Bonn North Bridge fully closed: Schnieder announces swift inspection of A565

The Autobahn GmbH stated that the safety of people who use the bridge daily is non-negotiable. Federal Transport Minister Schnieder also announced a swift clarification: "We will now clarify as quickly as possible what load the bridge can still withstand and what the next steps will be." Schnieder plans to personally assess the situation on-site on Friday afternoon, June 5, 2026.

Reactions from Business and Politics

According to the ADAC, the bridge, completed in 1967, is the most important east-west connection for the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region. Before the truck ban, around 100,000 vehicles crossed the Rhine daily, including about five percent heavy trucks; the ADAC now states a daily traffic volume of approximately 120,000 vehicles. Due to the closure, commuters have to detour as far as the Cologne area, further burdening the already overloaded traffic network there.

The closure affects not only the bridge itself but also further sections of the A565 between the Bonn-Nord motorway interchange and the Bonn-Nordost triangle. Towards Koblenz, access from the A59 from Cologne and Königswinter to the A565 is no longer possible. Towards Siegburg, all connections at the Bonn-Nord interchange to the A565 in the direction of Siegburg remain closed. According to the Autobahn GmbH, long-distance diversions lead via the A3 or A61.

ADAC Model Calculation Quantifies Consequences

Last year, the ADAC had already investigated the consequences of a bridge closure in a model calculation. According to this, car drivers would have to accept detours totaling 50 million kilometers per year, and trucks even 5.5 million kilometers. The economic damage to the region was estimated at more than 170 million euros. Roman Suthold, traffic expert at ADAC Nordrhein, described the current situation as a "complete catastrophe for the region."

The business community is also reacting sharply. The Bonn/Rhein-Sieg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) called the closure a "disaster announcement." IHK President Stefan Hagen said the bridge is a severed "lifeline" for the region. He urged the Autobahn GmbH to expedite the new construction of the Rhine crossing, which is already planned for the 2030s, by all means. Hagen also demanded that the North Bridge must now become the top priority for Federal Transport Minister Schnieder at the latest.

Bridge Condition in NRW Remains Tense

Support for the Bonn city leadership comes from state politics. NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) called the closure a drastic measure for the region but made it clear: Safety takes precedence. Bonn's Mayor Guido Déus (CDU) was informed of the short-notice closure late Wednesday morning and convened the crisis team "Task Force Nordbrücke" on the same day. Thomas Rademacher, President of the Cologne Chamber of Crafts, emphasized that the closure affects crafts, logistics, and commuters equally.

The incident is part of a growing list of problematic motorway bridges in North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the ADAC, almost a third of the approximately 6,200 motorway bridges in the state require renovation. The Wiehltalbrücke on the A4 between Cologne and Olpe is also considered a current problem structure. The Rahmede Valley Bridge on the A45 near Lüdenscheid was closed at the end of 2021 and only replaced by a new construction last December after four years – it had previously handled around 64,000 vehicles per day.